1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a hydrokinetic torque converter with a lock-up clutch. The torque converter generally includes a housing driven by an internal combustion engine with a housing wall near the drive of the internal combustion engine, which housing wall is provided with a concentric guide hub. The torque converter also generally includes a pump wheel integrated into the housing wall away from the drive, and a turbine wheel located between the pump wheel and the housing wall near the drive. The turbine wheel is non-rotationally connected by means of a turbine wheel hub to the output. The torque converter can further include a stator located between the pump wheel and the turbine wheel, and a lock-up clutch between the housing wall near the drive and the turbine wheel.
The lock-up clutch generally includes a piston, which piston, in the radially external portion on the side facing the housing wall near the drive has a friction surface, which friction surface is opposite a corresponding friction surface of the housing wall. In the radially inner portion, the piston is sealed in relation to a hub, and both the space between the piston and the housing wall near the drive, and the space between the piston and the housing wall away from the drive, each have a connection for pressurizable converter fluid.
2. Background Information
A hydrokinetic torque converter with lock-up clutch and drive-side mounting of the piston is disclosed by German Laid Open Patent Application DE-OS 38 23 210, whereby, to increase the transmission capacity and to reduce the internal pressure, the hydrokinetic torque converter is equipped with an additional friction plate. To reduce the load on the housing of the torque converter, the piston of the lock-up clutch is mounted opposite the housing wall near the drive and is connected non-rotationally to it. Between the two friction surfaces there is a friction plate which extends radially outwardly beyond the piston, where the friction plate has lugs for the non-rotational but axially loose connection with slots of a hollow cylindrical component. This hollow cylindrical component is then rigidly connected to the turbine wheel. The hollow cylindrical component, in the area facing away from the slots, is partly fitted to the external contour of the turbine wheel, and in this area is rigidly connected to its outer shell, e.g. by means of a weld seam.